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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Shop alcohol offers 'unethical' | Shop alcohol offers 'unethical' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| By Mona McAlinden BBC Scotland news website Supermarkets have been branded "unethical" by alcohol charities and doctors' leaders for offering cut-price deals on drink over the festive season. | |
| Alcohol Focus Scotland and the British Medical Association (BMA) in Scotland said "deep discounting" by major retailers leads to binge drinking. | Alcohol Focus Scotland and the British Medical Association (BMA) in Scotland said "deep discounting" by major retailers leads to binge drinking. |
| Britain has the third highest levels of duty on wine in Europe | |
| The Scottish Government said it would ban "irresponsible" off-sales deals. | The Scottish Government said it would ban "irresponsible" off-sales deals. |
| The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) said the price of alcohol is not a major factor in consumption levels. | The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) said the price of alcohol is not a major factor in consumption levels. |
| Gillian Bell, from the charity Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: "Alcohol's never been more affordable - it's 62% cheaper now than it was in 1980. | |
| "Supermarkets, particularly at this time year, enter price wars and as soon as you enter the shops, you see a variety of drinks stacked up - all on special offer - that's something we're really concerned about. | "Supermarkets, particularly at this time year, enter price wars and as soon as you enter the shops, you see a variety of drinks stacked up - all on special offer - that's something we're really concerned about. |
| Do you want to write an online diary of your festive drinking? | |
| "When you can buy beer cheaper than water, that's a major problem and it's not surprising that we're seeing spiralling liver disease rates and alcohol-related deaths." | "When you can buy beer cheaper than water, that's a major problem and it's not surprising that we're seeing spiralling liver disease rates and alcohol-related deaths." |
| Six people die from an alcohol-related condition every day in Scotland, while 41,651 people were admitted to hospital because of alcohol in 2006/07. | Six people die from an alcohol-related condition every day in Scotland, while 41,651 people were admitted to hospital because of alcohol in 2006/07. |
| Ms Bell said: "There's no doubt that the availability of cheap drink is a major factor in rising rates of alcohol-related death and disease. | Ms Bell said: "There's no doubt that the availability of cheap drink is a major factor in rising rates of alcohol-related death and disease. |
| "Supermarkets are actually using alcohol as a loss leader, which means they're using price promotions on booze to get customers into the store so they'll increase their sales overall. | "Supermarkets are actually using alcohol as a loss leader, which means they're using price promotions on booze to get customers into the store so they'll increase their sales overall. |
| "We don't think it's ethical to sell alcohol below cost because it's a drug that has the potential to cause a lot of harm." | "We don't think it's ethical to sell alcohol below cost because it's a drug that has the potential to cause a lot of harm." |
| Dr Sally Winning, a psychiatrist and member of the BMA Scottish Council, said: "Supermarkets have a big role in the amount of alcohol consumed. | Dr Sally Winning, a psychiatrist and member of the BMA Scottish Council, said: "Supermarkets have a big role in the amount of alcohol consumed. |
| "There's evidence to show that deep discounting leads to binge drinking and cheaper drink makes alcohol more accessible for young people." | "There's evidence to show that deep discounting leads to binge drinking and cheaper drink makes alcohol more accessible for young people." |
| TNS World Panel, a market research firm, said people in Scotland spent £138.8m on alcohol from supermarkets and off-licenses in the run-up to Christmas and New Year last year. | TNS World Panel, a market research firm, said people in Scotland spent £138.8m on alcohol from supermarkets and off-licenses in the run-up to Christmas and New Year last year. |
| It's not right that we still have three for two, or buy 3 bottles for £10 deals in our off-sales and supermarkets Kenny MacAskill | It's not right that we still have three for two, or buy 3 bottles for £10 deals in our off-sales and supermarkets Kenny MacAskill |
| However, Jeremy Beadles, chief executive of the WSTA - which represents supermarkets and off-licenses - said:" I don't think price is a driving factor in how much alcohol people consume. | However, Jeremy Beadles, chief executive of the WSTA - which represents supermarkets and off-licenses - said:" I don't think price is a driving factor in how much alcohol people consume. |
| "Just because someone buys a case of wine, doesn't mean they go home and drink it in its entirety." | "Just because someone buys a case of wine, doesn't mean they go home and drink it in its entirety." |
| He said supermarkets paid the Treasury huge levels of duty on alcohol - £14bn a year. | He said supermarkets paid the Treasury huge levels of duty on alcohol - £14bn a year. |
| "There doesn't appear to be any correlation between the levels of taxation and behaviour," he said. | "There doesn't appear to be any correlation between the levels of taxation and behaviour," he said. |
| 'Abuse of alcohol' | 'Abuse of alcohol' |
| "France's tax on a bottle of wine is 2p and they have a binge drink rate of about 8%, our tax on a bottle of wine is £1.33 and we have a 38% binge drink rate." | "France's tax on a bottle of wine is 2p and they have a binge drink rate of about 8%, our tax on a bottle of wine is £1.33 and we have a 38% binge drink rate." |
| Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "I think it's time to take a long hard look at our relationship with drink. | Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "I think it's time to take a long hard look at our relationship with drink. |
| "Six Scots die every day from alcohol - our Health Service is overrun, our economy is undermined, and our society devastated by the abuse of alcohol. | "Six Scots die every day from alcohol - our Health Service is overrun, our economy is undermined, and our society devastated by the abuse of alcohol. |
| "Already our Government has announced that it will ban irresponsible promotions in off-sales. | "Already our Government has announced that it will ban irresponsible promotions in off-sales. |
| "It's not right that we still have three for two, or buy 3 bottles for £10 deals in our off-sales and supermarkets encouraging people to buy and drink more than they had intended." | "It's not right that we still have three for two, or buy 3 bottles for £10 deals in our off-sales and supermarkets encouraging people to buy and drink more than they had intended." |
| DIARY APPEAL | |
| BBC Scotland news website is looking for volunteers to write an online diary detailing how much alcohol they consume over the festive season. Fill in the form below leaving a phone number in the comments box. | BBC Scotland news website is looking for volunteers to write an online diary detailing how much alcohol they consume over the festive season. Fill in the form below leaving a phone number in the comments box. |